The 2008 congressional elections in Missouri were held on November 4, 2008, to determine who will represent the state of Missouri in the United States House of Representatives. The primary election for candidates seeking the nomination of the Republican Party, the Democratic Party, and the Libertarian Party was held on August 5.
Missouri has nine seats in the House, apportioned according to the 2000 United States census. Representatives are elected for two-year terms; those elected will serve in the 111th Congress from January 3, 2009, until January 3, 2011. The election coincided with the 2008 U.S. presidential election.
The races not forecasted as safe for the incumbent party were 6 and 9; however, the Republicans held both seats. The state was the only one where the party that won the most seats did not win the most votes in the state in 2008.
Overview
United States House of Representatives elections in Missouri, 2008[1]
Party
Votes
Percentage
Seats
+/–
Democratic
1,413,016
50.08%
4
—
Republican
1,313,018
46.54%
5
—
Libertarian
82,647
2.93%
0
-
Constitution
12,747
0.45%
0
-
Independents
56
<0.01%
0
—
Totals
2,821,484
100.00%
9
—
District 1
2008 Missouri's 1st congressional district election
Incumbent Democratic Congressman William Lacy Clay Jr. easily dispatched with Libertarian challenger Robb Cunningham in this St. Louis-based liberal district.
Incumbent Republican Congressman Todd Akin easily won re-election to a fifth term over Democratic nominee Bill Haas and Libertarian candidate Thomas Knapp in this conservative district rooted in the northern and western suburbs of St. Louis.
Democratic incumbent Congressman Emanuel Cleaver defeated Republican nominee Jacob Turk to win a third term in this fairly liberal district based in Kansas City.
In this staunchly conservative district based in southeast Missouri, incumbent Republican Congresswoman Jo Ann Emerson had no difficulty in dispatching Democrat Joe Allen, Libertarian Branden McCullough, and Constitution candidate Richard Smith to win another term in office.